Crankless mechanism



March 27 1934. A. a. M. MICHELL CRANKLESS MECHANISM Filed April 16, 1932Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STA 7 CRANKLESS MECHANISM Anthony G. M.Michell, Melbourne, Australia,

'assignor to Michell-Crankless Engines Corporation,- New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Q. Application April 316, 1932, Serial No.605,596

' 12 Claims. (01. 74-14) This invention'relatesto crankless mechanismsand particularly to the reciprocating elements thereof. In cranklessengines of the type disclosed in Patents Nos. 1,409,057 and 1,613,116'the reciprocating unit comprises a pair of pistons connected by abridge member. The bridge has means "engaging a swash "plate tocause'the plate to rotate-as the reciprocating unit is'reciprocated. "Itis necessaryto guide'the'unit andto prevent rotation about itslongitudinal axis during reciprocation.

This invention has for its salient object to provide a' simple andimproved construction of reciprocating unit adapted for manufacture atrelatively small cost and furthermore to provide improvedand'effectiveguiding means for preventing rotation of the unit duringreciprocation thereof. 'L

Another, object of'the invention is to provide 'a reciprocatingunit ofthe character described 'having the parts thereof so constructed andarranged thatthey can be easily .and quickly assembled ordisassembled.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification taken .in connection with .the .drawing which'forms a partof this application, and in which Fig.1 is a longitudinal 'elevationof areciprocatingpnit constructedin accordance with the invention, certainof the coasting parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional elevation of theunit shown in Fig.1,.' this view being taken at'r-ight angles to Fig. 1 and substantiallyon line22 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially online 33of Fig- 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sectional elevations taken substantiallyonlines 44 .and 55 of "Fig; 1; and

6 is a plan view partly in section of the guide'yoke for guiding theunit during its reciprocation.

"The invention briefly described consists of a reciprocating unit forcrankless mechanism comings carriedby a stationary member. The guidebearings and guide surfaces are preferably located eccentricallywithreference to the axis for reciprocation of the unit. 7 r

The reciprocating unit comprises further a central member consisting ofthe bridge which is-bolted to extensions whichinturn arebolted to thepistons, the securing means and parts connected thereby-being so locatedas to be readily accessible for assembling and-disassembling.

' Further details of the invention will --appear from thefollowingdescription. 7

'In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated, thereciprocating unit comprises a pairoi pistons 10 and 11 which arelocated-at the ends of the unit, a centralmember or-bridge '13 andtubular-members which are secured between the bridge and the pistonsand. are designated 14 and 15.

The-bridge l3--is recessed, as shown at'1'6,- to

receive the swash plate 17 and is provided with slippers'1-8'and-19whichare located eccentrically with reference tothe axisofreciprocation-of the pistons and are seated in sockets 20 inthe bridgeand engageable withthe swash plate to transmit-the reciprocatingmotionof the unit to the swash plate by which this motion is convertedinto rotary-motion. The pistons reciprocate in cylindersdiagrammatically indicated in Fig. l at21and 22. It-isessential that theslipper pads l8-and 19 be eccentrically located, as above described, inorder to providefor the bridge guiding-means hereinafter described. 7

Each end of the bridge isprovided with or has formed thereon a T-shapedextension25 which isreceived in the end of oneof the tubular members 14and--15, as the --case maybe, and seats against a flange 26 therein.Bolts; 27 and 28 secure the T-shaped extension against the 'fiange andalso secure the pistons, against the outer ends -of the tubular members,the pistons being provided with shoulders 29 against which the. ends ofthe tubular members seat. The bolts are threadedinto bosses'30 formed inthe pistons and collars 36 are mounted onturned portions ofthe'bolts27-and are disposed in the recesses.

These interfitting parts are provided to prevent turning of the pistons10 and 11, or of the tubular members 14 and 15 relative to the bridgeabout their common axis.

In order to guide the unit and to prevent turning thereof during itsreciprocation the bridge 13 is provided with a rib 3'7 having verticalparallel plane surfaces 38 and 39, the rib being longer than the strokeon the reciprocating unit.

In order to guide the bridge during its reciprocation a bearing yoke 40is mounted on the stationary frame 41 of the engine and is provided withoppositely facing slippers 42 and 43 which engage the vertical surfaces38 and 39 of the rib 37. The slippers are provided with sphericalsurfaces 44 which seat in spherical sockets in the depending portions ofthe yoke 40. The bearing yoke 40 is preferably cylindrical in form, asshown in Fig. 6, and is carried by a plate 45 having slots 46 throughwhich extendbolts 47 for bolting the plate 45 in position, The slots 46provide for angular adjustment of the plate and it will be obvious thatas the plate is angularly adjusted the depending portions of the yokewill adjust the slippers 42 and 43 toward and away from the verticalbearing surfaces 38 and 39, as the case may be. Intermediate the plate45 and the yoke 40 isa cylindrical porticn48 which is positioned in thecylindrical opening 49 in the stationary frame ,41. By properlyadjusting the plate and the yoke carried thereby the working clearancebetween the rib and the slippers can be determined.

In the reciprocating unit shown in the drawing the pistons 10 and 11 atthe opposite ends thereof are designed to operate respectively in aninternal combustion engine cylinder and in an air compressor cylinder,the complete machine of which the unit forms a part being a combinedprime mover and compressor, such as that shown and described in PatentNo. 1,409,057. The two pistons may be of the same diameter as the bridgeor, as shown, the compressor piston 11 member 15 partially encloses oneend of the bridge 13 and is provided with openings 50 to give access tothe nuts 31.

It is preferable that the pistons have a diameter equal to or greaterthan the bridge since such a construction permits all of the members ofthe reciprocating unit to be withdrawn, without disassembling, throughthe engine cylinders provided that the slant be constructed with aremovable segment, as shown in Patent No. 1,813,981. This method ofwithdrawal of the parts is more convenient than the removal thereofthrough openings in the slant chamber. 7

Furthermore, if desired, the tubular members may be formed integral withthe bridge or, on the other hand, may be formed integral with thepistons.

It will be understood that both ends of the unit may have workingpistons or, as explained in Patent No. 1,409,057,0nly one of the pistonsmay constitute a working piston, the other piston serving as a guide.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that a simple, practicaland efiicient form of reciprocating unit has been designed and that sucha construction as that described may be manufactured and assembledeconomically.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularlyshown and described it will be understood that the invention is capableof modification and that changes in the construction and in thearrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in thefollowing claims.

What I claim is:

1. A reci rocating unit for crankless mechanisms comprising a pair ofpistons and a bridge member therebetween and rigidly connected thereto,a pair of oppositely facing slipper bearing pads carried by the bridgemember and disposed eccentrically with reference to the axis ofreciprocation of the unit, longitudinal guide surfaces on the bridgemember, and guide bearings coacting therewith and mounted on astationary member.

2. A reciprocating unit for crankless mechanisms comprising a pair ofreciprocatable elements, a bridge therebetween and rigidly connectedthereto, a pair of bearing slippers carried by the bridge and locatedeccentric to the axis of .reciprocation of the unit, a pair ofstationary bearings, and longitudinal guide surfaces on the bridgecoacting with said bearings to prevent rotation of the unit about itsaxis. L

3. A reciprocating unit for crankless mechanisms comprising a pair ofpistons, a bridge,'a tubular member between the bridge and each pistonand means connecting said bridge, tubular member and each piston, saidmeans extending through the tubular member. s

4. A reciprocating unit for crankless mechanisms comprising a pair ofpistons, a bridge, a tubular member between the bridge and each piston,and a pair of bolts at each end of the bridge connecting the bridge,tubular member and piston.

5. A reciprocating unit for crankless mechanisms comprising a pair ofpistons, a bridge therebetween and connected thereto having longitudinalguide surfaces, and pivoted adjustable bearing members carried by astationary part and coacting with the guide surfaces to prevent turningof the unit during reciprocation thereof.

' 6.,In combination, an engine frame, apair of pivoted bearingscarried'thereby and adjustable toward and away from each other, a pairof pistons, and a bridge connected thereto and disposed therebetween,said bridge having longitudinal bearing surfaces disposed between andcoacting with saidbearings.

'7. A reciprocating member for crankless mechanisms comprising a piston,a bridge, a'separable tubular member between the bridge and the piston,and means connecting said bridge and piston, said means extendingthrough said tubular memher.

8. In combination, an engine frame, a pair of oppositely facing pivotedbearings carried thereby and having'plane bearing surfaces adjustabletoward and away from each other, and a reciprocating-member comprising abridge having a pair of longitudinal bearing surfaces each of whichcoacts with one of said bearings.

9. In combination, an engine frame, a bearing yoke mounted therein, apair of oppositely facing bearings articulated in said bearing yoke, anda reciprocating unit comprising a bridge disposed between said bearings,said bridge having a pair of longitudinal bearing surfaces each of whichcoacts with one of said bearings.

, 10. In combination, an engine frame, a recip rocating unit comprisinga bridge having a pair of longitudinal bearing surfaces, a rotatablyadhaving a pair of longitudinal bearing surfaces. each of which coactwith one of said bearings.

12. In combination, an engine frame, a pair of bearings carried therebyand qua-qua-versally articulated with respect thereto, a reciprocatingunit comprising a bridge having a pair of longitudinal bearing surfaces,each of which coacts with one of said bearings, and means for adjustingsaid bearings towards or away from said bearing surfaces.

ANTHONY G. M. MICHELL.

